Kiersten baby's 4th birthday!

Kiersten was really excited to get to be class helper on her birthday, monday. She baked some chocolate chip cookies the night before to share with her friends at school.

Here she is posing with her cookies, and her dancing Mickey she took for show and tell. She had a really hard time deciding what to bring for her very last show and tell at school.

Kara needed to get in the picture too. Kiersten was really excited when I picked her up to tell me all the special birthday girl things she got to do. she even got a big card signed by all of her class mates.

After dinner, we put the computer on the table so daddy could watch her open her gifts via skype. She had a lot of fun things to open.

After opening gifts, daddy told her about her special birthday surprise, tickets to disney on ice next weekend. She was really excited, and so was Kara. He sent a link for them to watch a youtube video all about the show. This year is a princess/love theme, so it will be right up their alley!

I wanted to use up the rest of her birthday cake, so we just put the #4 candle on what was left of it.


Evie was so cute cheesing it up for daddy. She definitely knew he was watching her and thinking she was adorable. She was the only girl to finish her cake all 3 nights that we had it after dinner. Kiersten just ate the fondant off of hers, and very little of the cake.

The girls' last day of school was today. It was kind of sad. They made goodbye cards for everyone, and got some pictures from their buddies. Their teacher was really emotional saying goodbye. She gave Kara a final homework assignment to write a letter to the class from St. Louis. So I'll have to remember to have her do that once we're settled in. The packers showed up this morning at 8 and got started packing right away. my mom stayed behind to oversee things so I could take the girls to school. I also took Evie to the doctor, since she has run a fever all day yesterday and today, as high as 104.7 at times. She had to get a catheter to do a urine test, and that was horrible. she was so sad and crying, and then just wimpered in my arms after it was over. Then they couldn't even tell me if she had a uti or not, and said they wouldn't know til monday. So we'll have to watch her and if she keeps getting a fever, take her to the dr, in st. louis.
The packers finished up right as I was leaving to pick up the girls, so now my house is full of boxes waiting to be moved. We took the girls to godfather's for dinner, since I can't cook with everything boxed up. The movers will be here in the morning to load everything and send it off. We'll be in a hotel for the night, and then fly out at 6am saturday. so that should be fun flying with 3 tired and grumpy girls, especially if Evie is still sick. But it's worth it to bring us together with Ben again. We are all missing him like crazy!

birthday cake sneak peek

Yesterday Evie picked out a halloween shirt. I didn't want her to war it, so I put it back and put something else on her. She cried and kept getting it back out of the drawer, so I just let her wear it. guess she already has an oppinion about her style.The big girls hanging out.Ben is not here to hepl me with Kiersten's birthday cake. But luckily my mom is, and she helped out a ton. Kiersten wanted a Princess Celestia (from my little pony) cake. she also wanted a tiered cake. I took a few pictures so Ben could see before her party tomorrow. Spike the dragon took a dive as I was taking this picture. I'm still not the best with fondant, but it goes a little better each time. And I'm not super worried about impressing a bunch of 3-5 year olds.Here's the finished cake. I couldn't fit on all the ponies she picked out, so some ended up on the board.I put the worst fondant part in the back, but then I ended up writing happy birthday on the side because that big bow was on the front. So my awful fondanting will be seen, but owell.Kiersten is really excited for her party tomorrow, and her special surprise Daddy has been telling her she is going to learn about on monday!

Happy 6th birthday Karalee!

Karalee is 6 years old today! She has been so excited about her birthday. Her party was on saturday at a bouncy place in the supermall. Here are a few pictures from her party.That's Evie sliding down on her belly.I planned to make her cake wednesday night, but the power had gone out, and by friday it was still out, so Ben ordered her a cake from safeway. I was happily surprised that they were able to make it by 10 the next morning. I had a really fun idea for her cake, but this one was really cute.All the kids liked sitting up in the birthday chair.Last night Kara stayed up a little past bedtime to decorate cookies to take to school today. Her teacher always makes sure they are class helper on their birthday. She had a hard time deciding what to take for show and tell because she got so many fun gifts at her party, and also has her christmas gifts to choose from.She chose to open her gifts from us and family this morning before school. She decided last night right before going to bed, so I didn't have too much time to get everything wrapped, and the table decorated. but if it looked lame, she didn't seem to notice. I thought she should open in her jammies, so she could pick out new clothes to wear to school (as that's all she got from us, after so many toys at Christmas). But she just wanted to wear the t-shirt Ben brought back from St. Louis so she could match with Kiersten.I stuck a candle in her muffin for her to blow out after we sang happy birthday to her.All she wants for dinner is mac and cheese. She even specified, "the kind in the box. NOT the kind mommy makes in the oven!"

30 years

I turned 30 years old on the 17th. It was a good day. Evie and I went to breakfast after dropping the girls at school. We just played around all day, and I did as little housework as I was comfortable with. When the girls got home, they wanted to play games all afternoon for a birthday party. It was pretty fun and funny.When Ben got home, we went down to a private sale at morgan jewelers in Tacoma. I got a pretty new ring, but don't have a picture, as it was sent out for sizing. I also got some fun free stuff too. then we all went to dinner, and the girls were really well behaved. We didn't have room for dessert, which upset Kara because I had told her instead of a birthday cake i was going to have dessert at the restaurant. (she had wanted me to help her bake a cake earlier). So she was unhappy that I didn't have dessert, so Ben stopped at dairy queen and got an Ice cream cake, and we went home. I had a few gifts to open, and Kiersten was glad we woke her back up to see me open them all.
Posing with the jewelry bag. you can see my new feetie pajamas on the couch that Kiersten gave me. I wanted them so much to stay warm in our drafty house. the part I didn't think about was what a pain it is to go to the bathroom when wearing them. you can kind of also see the chore board I got from my mother in law, and my new purse. I should have gotten a better picture, but I was so ready for bed!Once Evie saw Ben taking my picture, she got right up on the fireplace to get her picture taken too. Her personality is getting so fun lately!More than half of the cake is still sitting in the freezer. I'm sure we'll finish it soon enough, though, if the girls would just finish their dinner so they can have dessert.I absolutely LOVE my card from Kara.

I guess I thought turning 30 would be upsetting, or hard, but it was actually great, and I don't feel the least bit sad about it. I think maybe if life wasn't turning out well, or if I were unhappy it might be upsetting. But my life is everything I could want it to be. I have an amazing husband that I adore and admire, 3 gorgeous, healthy girls who love me, and great family and friends. So I'm pretty happy to be where I am at 30 years.

Happy FIRST birthday, Evangeline!

My littlest girl turned one year old yesterday. Doesn't she look so cute napping quietly in her bed? While she was napping, this is what the girls and I were doing. With moving on friday, I had planned to just blow up a few balloons, but Kara wouldn't let up about decorating. I had some pink streamers, but that wasn't good enough, so we ended up cutting some pictures out of a my little pony calendar which Kara had 2 of. They were so proud, and excited for Evie to wake up from her nap.

We emptied the livingroom for carpet cleaning. Then we decided to just leave the couches in the dining room, and we brought down the beds so the bedrooms can be cleaned. We found a renter for our house, and she is moving in the day after we move out. (she'd move in sooner if she could get us out any faster). So I am doing as much of the cleaning this week as I can. The girls thought it was fun to have a family sleep over in the livingroom.

When Ben got home from work, we played some party games, and then Evie opened a few gifts from us. She is also getting her own chair, but we didn't want to buy it to move it, so it will be arriving at our new place after we move. Kara took all the gift opening pictures. I think she did a pretty good job!

She liked the 2 toys she opened, but the clothes barely got glanced at and then thrown as far away as she could get them. this puzzle was her favorite thing. she played with it all night.

I didn't want to bake another cake, for many reasons, so we found this little fudge cake at wal-mart. Kara didn't think it was birthday enough, so I let the girls put sprinkles on, and I wrote Evie's name on it.

I made tacos for dinner. Something that Evie can eat, right along with the rest of us. I told her to smile, and this is what I got. she was pretty tired, and fell asleep in her highchair soon after this.

I had to hold the cake just out of her reach while we sang "happy birthday". she kept trying to grab that flame.

her first task was to pick off, and eat as many sprinkles as possible.

once she got a taste of the chocolate fudge icing, she dug in. I cut some cake off for the rest of us, so that is the part that's missing. Evie mostly stuck with the icing. she did eat some cake, and she did rub some into her hair.

she kept showing me her hands, and waiting for me to clean them off. I'm usually pretty on top of that. But I was letting her get good and messy. Before too long, she started trying to wipe the chocolate off herself, and then started getting a little upset.

I love this chocolately little girl. Here's a picture of her showing us how old she is now!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVIE PIE!

Kiersten-baby is 3 today!

I can't believe my sweet little Kiersten is 3 years old! We did lots of celebrating while we were in Disneyland, but saved her presents for today. The poor thing was sick all night with a cough and a fever, but she was still happy to wake up and be a birthday girl. The Minnie Mouse in the back was a big balloon she had at Disneyland. It was super cute and fun, but more of a pain to lug around than you'd think. Here she is happily opening her birthday gifts.

She was very excited about this princess towel from Grandma and Grandpa Boot. Now she and Kara don't have to fight over the other one.

musical, light up princess shoes.

Our oven blew up last night when I turned it on to make dinner. So, I couldn't make a birthday cake for her. Ben got her a yummy ice cream cake from dairy queen this afternoon, and she was very happy with it.

I love how Kara is eyeing the cake.

I have SO many messy face pictures of this kid. She just can't stay clean.

Evie didn't get cake, but I let her have a baby treat while the rest of us enjoyed the birthday cake. She has been extra happy since we got back from our trip. I think it was just hard on her to be away from home and her routine.

I'll try to get a post done later this week with some of our super awesome vacation pictures!